Eating Behaviour- Evolutionary Flashcards
Why do we have a preference for salty foods
Essential for bodily functioning and must be kept asps certain levels for neural and muscular activities
Preference for salty foods encouraged eating of meat- source of good nutrients
Salt is lost through sweat and in evolutionary past activities involved more physical exertion
Replace lost salts
Why may people have a preference to sweet foods
Because they are associated with high calorie count and energy
This encourages people to eat food eg fruit
Sweetness- high energy and non toxic- more energy to hunt / look after children aiding survival
Why may we avoid bitter foods
Less common to consume
Bitterness associated with poisons therefor we avoid to aid survival
Research into evolutionary preference to food
Desor
Beauchamp 87& 83
Logue
What did desor do
Neonates prefer sweet foods to bitter ones
Rated on facial expressions
Acceptance to sweet foods the first time of trying them
What did beauchamp 83
People with a sodium deficiency have an innate response to find more palatable and eat more than others
What did beauchamp 87 do
Children reject foods if it does not have the expected level of salt in suggesting an innate preference
What did Logue do
Found that we have specific receptors in our tongue for detecting sweetness and we have more of them
Suggesting we’ve evolved to pay more attention to ensure survival
Evaluation
Supporting research Too simplistic Deterministic Practical applications Real life behaviours Nature and nurture into account
What practical applications does this explanation have
Innate preference for sweet goods as they are associated with non toxic content
Children’s medicine sweeter and easier to swallow
How can this explantation explain real life behaviours
Can explain morning sickness in woman
Tend to avoid certain foods eg egg meat alcohol tea and coffee
Can be explained as foods may be of risk to child’s health and sickness trying to remove the danger to aid survival
